Lee Theatre to perform “Mary and Myra”

It is the summer of 1875, and Mary Todd Lincoln has lost everything: her husband, three children, and her home. By the arrangement of her only surviving son, she has been declared insane by an Illinois court and forced to reside in a mental asylum. For months she is trapped, and all hope seems lost until striving female lawyer Myra Bradwell enters the scene, determined to expose the injustices of her friend’s trial. 

Such is the story of the historical play, “Mary and Myra,” written in 2000 by playwright Catherine Filloux. It will be performed by Lee Theatre this September and October. 

The cast of “Mary and Myra” will be only the two women themselves, allowing for an immensely  character-driven story. 

“It’s nice to have a production like this where you can really spend more time on character development and working with the actors to develop their craft and getting into the nuances of what the play is doing,” said Dr. Christine Williams, who is entering her 20th year as a director at Lee. 

Junior musical theater major Alaina Duty plays Mary Todd Lincoln, widow of President Abraham Lincoln. Duty has held a number of roles in Lee’s theater program, from acting in “A Murder is Announced” and “Hello Dolly” to stage managing “Dear Albert Einstein" and “Bethel Park Falls.” For Duty, a major part of getting into character is getting into costume.

“Once I get that physicality, I can settle into the mindset as well,” said Duty. “I can start being like, okay, corset’s on. I’m Mary right now.” 

Junior nursing major and theatre minor Sydney Kruger plays Myra Bradwell, the first female lawyer to pass the bar exam in America. Kruger has also had multiple roles during her time at Lee, including dance captain for “Dear Albert Einstein”, stage manager for “12 Angry Jurors”, and actor in “Castlewood” and “Gaslight”. For Kruger, life outside of the character can help motivate the transformation. 

“I often pull from outside emotions in my life, but I then use them to fuel Myra in whatever she may be doing,” said Kruger. 

For both Duty and Kruger, truly connecting to their respective characters requires a deep dive into the “why” of the character, a kind of imitation requiring time, effort, and care. 

“I’ve had to go deeper than I ever have into the why of her, because people did think she was crazy,” said Duty. “So there’s been a lot of outside character work, making sure that I understand why we go from one thought to another.”

“It came down to why would Myra move this way, why would she say this, what was she thinking during this scene?” said Kruger. “My goal is always to try and play this character with as much dignity and respect as I believe she is owed.”

In the performance of “Mary and Myra,” the closeness between the characters extends to the audience as well. The play will be performed in the Buzz Oates Blackbox Theatre. The seating arrangement – called thrust, referring to the fact that the stage thrusts into the audience – will give the audience the perception that they are right in the middle of the action, trapped in the room right along with Mary Todd Lincoln.

“We wanted people to have this experience of her being hemmed in, and feel that experience of being around her, surrounding her,” said Williams. 

The play encompasses strong themes that are still applicable and relevant today, including that of chosen family, grief, resilience, mental health, and of course, womanhood.

“I think with this being an all-female show, we really get to see this beautiful determination and strength from these women in a time where most often the odds were not in their favor, and they were fighting alone,” said Kruger. 

Audiences can head to the blackbox expecting to be surprised by “Mary and Myra,” and to experience the emotions of the play right along with the actors. 

“We have put our hearts into this show, and I hope that everyone watching leaves feeling just a bit of the love that we gave it,” said Kruger. 

Catch Alaina and Sydney as Mary and Myra at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 and 26 and Oct. 1 - 3 at the Buzz Oates Blackbox Theatre located in the Communication Arts Building. Tickets are available online, and students can use the promo code “FLAMES” for a free ticket. 

Photo by Dr. Christine Williams